Old age and historical examples of the miser

Older people have historically been characterized as avaricious and miserly. A review of Western art and literature reveals many examples of this stereotypical view of aging. Historical reasons for characterizing older people as misers, such as their need to control wealth, intergenerational conflict, and lack of social support programs, are described. Industrialization, Social Security, and other factors have led to a decline in the use of these stereotyped images in modern times.